“Last year was the inaugural year for the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. And while artistically, organizers say it hit all the right notes, financially it was still a struggle. So, there will be some changes. … This year will be a total of 19 weeks, which includes the opera and the Nutcracker ballet. Last year’s season lasted 22 weeks.”
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Thomas Hampson Fights Opera’s Corner On BBC, And The Internet Takes Notice
“With an interview show named HARDtalk I suppose the host might be expected to come out swinging. And recently the BBC’s Sarah Montague did not disappoint.” Actually, her questions, and some of the attitudes she articlated, disappointed a great deal. Fortunately, Hampson “deflects Montague’s punches thoughtfully by staying calm and working his point that opera and classical music are still important today.”
Gliding Ballerinas And The Army Behind Them: Backstage With The Bolshoi At Covent Garden
The company’s London tour and technical manager and English technical interpreter explain some of the logistics of getting Russia’s biggest ballet onto the Royal Opera House stage.
Campaign To Free Major Syrian Artist Arrested By Assad’s Forces
“An online campaign has been launched in Syria calling for the release of jailed artist Youssef Abdelké. According to his friends and family who have launched a Facebook campaign, the 62 year old internationally acclaimed artist was arrested last Thursday at a security checkpoint in the port city of Tartus.”
Size Doesn’t Matter Much – For Peahens
“Peacocks are the dandies of the bird world, investing a huge amount of energy into growing their elaborate coloured tails. Now we have the first idea of just what a peahen looks for in a peacock’s tail – and for such an icon of evolutionary biology, the answer is surprisingly little.”
A Megastore For Monks
“According to the National Buddhism Office, Thailand had nearly 300,000 monks and more than 60,000 novice monks at the end of 2012. And all of them need stuff. [Mr.] Sakol Sangmalee founded the Hang Sangkapan – a sort of monk megastore – six years ago after a frustrating day crawling through Bangkok’s traffic-clogged streets in search of supplies for 99 poor novice monks he was sponsoring.”
Opera Diva Licia Albanese Turns 100
“Albanese began expressing herself on stage in her native Italy in 1934 when she took over for an indisposed Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Lirico in Milan. She would turn that Puccini heroine into a signature role with reportedly more than 300 performances, including 72 at the Met. Albanese sang more than 400 times for the company, holding the record for the most La traviatas (87).”
Bollywood Falls Out Of Love With The Swiss Alps
You didn’t know Bollywood had been in love with the Swiss Alps? Oh goodness, yes: swoony love duets depicting couples cavorting through blooming Alpine meadows had become de rigueur. But not so much anymore – and that’s not only because it’s finally gotten safer to film in Kashmir.
Which Of The Ballets Russes’ Works Have Had Real, Ongoing Impact On Dance?
“In general, much of the wonder we associate with Diaghilev lies in the materials out of which he created his repertory: the scores, the designs, the ideas. And one factor that’s been key to the endurance of the Ballets Russes legend is the extent to which those materials have been re-worked by others over the decades.”
Nearly One-Third Of St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Players Take Early Retirement
“The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s announcement that 10 long-serving musicians are taking a retirement package stunned many who follow the orchestra.”